Tuesday, September 28, 2010

The Schwartz's vs the 5K Challenge

Well ladies and gentlemen, the statue of limitations is up. Sarah is 9 months old now, so I can no longer hide behind my "I just had a baby excuse" or be consoled by "it took your body 9 months to gain all that weight, you won't change back over night". Now, I'm not going to sit here and complain that I gained a lot of weight, although this picture does make it look like I did. (I think I was 36 weeks pregnant at that point and it's a HORRIBLE angle. I look like I have a shrunken head, and it was at this point I demanded no more pregnant pictures be taken of me.) I really did a good job of not "eating for 2" and I think I only gained 30 pounds during my pregnancy.

I'm also not going to sit around and cry that I still look gianormously pregnant. I think I am only carrying 5 extra pounds but I'm really not sure what my starting weight was. I am just surprised by some things that just haven't gone back to the way before I had Sarah. I am truly thankful for body God has blessed me with so I try not to complain about things for fear that He'll give me some real challenges to know the difference.

I was watching the Biggest Loser the other night (don't judge me) and I about cried when some guy just fell out when he tried to run a mile (what did I say about not judging me). That got me thinking about how if Jillian Michaels showed up at my front door and told me to go run a mile, I couldn't. Then I started thinking about how I've always wanted to run a 5K but I hide my fear of failure behind a long list of excuses.

I've seen a lot of people on facebook updating their status with things like I just completed W2D2 and was a little jealous. Then my friend Bekah started doing it and blogging about how it was going, and that really got me motivated.

So I got a group together and we agreed to run this program separately but together. Everyone checked in yesterday saying they completed W1D1 of the program. I was called "devil woman" and told that I was "severely disliked" but I think deep down inside everyone was proud of themselves for getting out and getting it done. Tomorrow we run W1D2, and I'm sure I'll have some more disparaging remarks in my message box, but I don't mind being the common enemy as long as it keeps them motivated.

I'll end this by giving you my starting stats and goals.I currently weigh 155 lbs and wear size 10 pants (funny thing my shorts are all a size 8 so I walk around the house with them unbuttoned and only do them up when I have to leave). I cannot run for more than 60 seconds before I start wheezing like a fat kid. My favorite excuses to hide behind: I have bad knees and shin splints; I'm not a morning person; I'm not a runner; I lost my iPod in the flood; I only run if a bear is chasing me.My running plan: MWF at 6 am so I can be home by the time Chris needs to leave for work.My goal: Run the St. Jude 5K on December 4th, 2010. (No time goal, I just want to run the whole thing and preferably without peeing on myself; as other moms can understand your body's just not the same after you push a kid out.)

So I started this entry at about 7:30 this morning, 7 hours later it's still not posted because I don't want to post my starting picture. I haven't taken a picture where I wasn't sucking in over 4 years. I started sucking in for pictures when we went to Europe, and am now so accustomed to it, I actually just stand around sucking in. I console myself by calling it "having a great standing posture". So I set up the self timer on the camera to take this and forced my self to just let it all hang out. Here's my starting work out picture. I'm really hoping the final result looks better, and if it doesn't, don't worry, I'll be sucking in for that one. =)

And yes, I like to work out in "wife beaters" it makes me feel buff. It also helps with the sucking in. I tell my self that "I'm keeping my abs engaged". And based off this picture, it's a good thing I suck in while working out.

Great post! I contemplated doing a before/after post and also listing my starting stats but wasn't brave enough. I will definitely see you for the St. Jude race. A group of my friends are going to run the half marathon, NOT me though. Anyways.. keep it up!

P.S.- Thanks for loving your body and not complaining about it. I need to follow your example. I am SO quick to see the negative in myself and take the positives for granted.